# Robert H. Reed

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United States Air Force general

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Robert H. Reed Official portrait Born (1929-10-10)October 10, 1929 Elkhorn City, Kentucky Died December 24, 2017(2017-12-24) (aged 88) Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Allegiance United States Branch United States Air Force Service years 1952–1988 Rank General Commands 354th Tactical Fighter Wing Tactical Training, Davis-Monthan Air Defense Weapons Center Chief of Staff Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe[1] Conflicts Cold War Korean War Vietnam War

**Robert Harvey Reed** (October 10, 1929 – December 24, 2017) was a [General](/source/General_(United_States)) in the [United States Air Force](/source/United_States_Air_Force) and the former chief of staff of the [Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe](/source/Supreme_Headquarters_Allied_Powers_Europe).

## Biography

### Early life

Reed was born in 1929, in [Elkhorn City, Kentucky](/source/Elkhorn_City%2C_Kentucky),[2] and graduated from Warfield High School, in [Warfield, Kentucky](/source/Warfield%2C_Kentucky).[1]

From June 1952 to June 1953 he attended pilot training at [Marana Air Base](/source/Marana_Air_Base), [Arizona](/source/Arizona), and [Williams Air Force Base](/source/Williams_Air_Force_Base), also in Arizona, as an aviation cadet. After graduating as a [Second Lieutenant](/source/Second_Lieutenant), he completed the [F-94C Starfire](/source/F-94C_Starfire) All-Weather Fighter-Interceptor School at [Moody Air Force Base](/source/Moody_Air_Force_Base), [Georgia](/source/Georgia_(U.S._state)), and in December 1953 was assigned to the [332nd Fighter-Interceptor Squadron](/source/332nd_Fighter-Interceptor_Squadron) at [New Castle Air Force Base](/source/New_Castle_Air_Force_Base), [Delaware](/source/Delaware).[1]

He was assigned as an [F-89D Scorpion](/source/F-89D_Scorpion) pilot to the [18th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron](/source/18th_Fighter-Interceptor_Squadron), [Ladd Air Force Base](/source/Ladd_Air_Force_Base), [Alaska](/source/Alaska), in July 1954. Upon completion of his Alaskan tour of duty in July 1956, he was assigned to the [319th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron](/source/319th_Fighter-Interceptor_Squadron) at [Bunker Hill Air Force Base](/source/Bunker_Hill_Air_Force_Base), [Indiana](/source/Indiana). Other squadron assignments included duty as weapons director and operations officer with the [903d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron](/source/903d_Aircraft_Control_and_Warning_Squadron), [Gettysburg, South Dakota](/source/Gettysburg%2C_South_Dakota); [740th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron](/source/740th_Aircraft_Control_and_Warning_Squadron), [Ellsworth Air Force Base](/source/Ellsworth_Air_Force_Base), [South Dakota](/source/South_Dakota); [916th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron](/source/916th_Aircraft_Control_and_Warning_Squadron), [Prince George, British Columbia](/source/Prince_George%2C_British_Columbia); and as flight commander, [49th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron](/source/49th_Fighter-Interceptor_Squadron), [Griffiss Air Force Base](/source/Griffiss_Air_Force_Base), [New York](/source/New_York_(state)), where he flew [F-101B Voodoo](/source/F-101B_Voodoo)'s.[1] He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in international relations from [Syracuse University](/source/Syracuse_University), [New York](/source/New_York_(state)), in 1959.

General Reed was assigned to Headquarters [26th Air Division](/source/26th_Air_Division) at [Hancock Field](/source/Syracuse_Hancock_International_Airport), [New York](/source/New_York_(state)), in June 1963 as aide-de-camp to Major General [Arthur C. Agan, Jr.](/source/Arthur_C._Agan%2C_Jr.) Upon completing [Air Command and Staff College](/source/Air_Command_and_Staff_College) in June 1965, he was assigned to Headquarters [Air Defense Command](/source/Air_Defense_Command), [Ent Air Force Base](/source/Ent_Air_Force_Base), [Colorado](/source/Colorado). While there he served as an operations staff officer and assistant executive officer in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations. He also earned a master of public administration degree from [The George Washington University](/source/The_George_Washington_University) that year.[1]

### Later career

In September 1967 he went to [Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base](/source/Richards-Gebaur_Air_Force_Base), [Missouri](/source/Missouri)., where he worked for the commander, [10th Air Force](/source/10th_Air_Force), as special assistant for command planning. In July 1968 he transferred to the [479th Tactical Fighter Wing](/source/479th_Tactical_Fighter_Wing), [George Air Force Base](/source/George_Air_Force_Base), [California](/source/California), and completed [F-4 Phantom II](/source/F-4_Phantom_II) combat crew training in preparation for an assignment to [Southeast Asia](/source/Southeast_Asia).[1]

The general transferred in December 1968 to the [12th Tactical Fighter Wing](/source/12th_Tactical_Fighter_Wing), [Cam Ranh Bay Air Base](/source/Cam_Ranh_Bay_Air_Base), [Republic of Vietnam](/source/Republic_of_Vietnam), where he served as operations officer for the [557th Tactical Fighter Squadron](/source/557th_Tactical_Fighter_Squadron). While there he completed 305 combat hours in [F-4 Phantom IIs](/source/F-4_Phantom_II). After returning to the [United States](/source/United_States) in December 1969, he entered [F-106 Delta Dart](/source/F-106_Delta_Dart) combat crew training at [Tyndall Air Force Base](/source/Tyndall_Air_Force_Base), [Florida](/source/Florida). He then was assigned as operations officer for the [84th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron](/source/84th_Fighter-Interceptor_Squadron), [Hamilton Air Force Base](/source/Hamilton_Air_Force_Base), [California](/source/California).[1]

Upon graduation from the [Air War College](/source/Air_War_College) in June 1972, he was assigned to Headquarters [United States Air Force](/source/United_States_Air_Force), [Washington D.C.](/source/Washington_D.C.), as chief, Doctrine Development Branch, and later as assistant chief, Doctrine Division, in the Directorate of Doctrine, Concepts and Objectives, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Plans and Operations.[1]

In April 1974 he was assigned to the Air Force Six Man Group. This was a special study team established by the chief of staff to investigate and advise him on matters pertaining to the development and employment of Air Force forces. Upon completion of this study effort in March 1975, he was assigned to the [354th Tactical Fighter Wing](/source/354th_Tactical_Fighter_Wing), [Myrtle Beach Air Force Base](/source/Myrtle_Beach_Air_Force_Base), [South Carolina](/source/South_Carolina), as vice commander. He became commander in August 1976.[1][3]

Reed was assigned to [Davis-Monthan Air Force Base](/source/Davis-Monthan_Air_Force_Base), [Arizona](/source/Arizona), in April 1979 as commander, Tactical Training, Davis-Monthan. From July 1980 to August 1982 he served at [Tyndall Air Force Base](/source/Tyndall_Air_Force_Base) as commander of the [Air Defense Weapons Center](/source/Air_Defense_Weapons_Center). He then transferred to Headquarters [Tactical Air Command](/source/Tactical_Air_Command), [Langley Air Force Base](/source/Langley_Air_Force_Base), [Virginia](/source/Virginia), as deputy chief of staff for operations. In September 1984 he became Air Force assistant vice chief of staff, [Washington D.C.](/source/Washington_D.C.) He also served as the Air Force representative, United States Delegation to the [Military Staff Committee](/source/Military_Staff_Committee), [United Nations](/source/United_Nations). He assumed his duty as the chief of staff of the [Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe](/source/Supreme_Headquarters_Allied_Powers_Europe) in June 1986. He was promoted to General July 1, 1986, with same date of rank.[1]

## Death

Reed died at his home in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, on December 24, 2017.[4]

## Awards and decorations

US Air Force Command Pilot Badge SACEUR Badge

Air Force Distinguished Service Medal Legion of Merit with one bronze oak leaf cluster Distinguished Flying Cross Meritorious Service Medal Air Medal with ten oak leaf clusters Joint Service Commendation Medal Air Force Commendation Medal Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with "V" device and oak leaf cluster Combat Readiness Medal Army Good Conduct Medal National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star Vietnam Service Medal with four service stars Air Force Longevity Service Award with silver and three bronze oak leaf clusters Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon with service star Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation Vietnam Campaign Medal

- Reed had more than 6,100 flying hours.

## References

This article incorporates [public domain material](/source/Copyright_status_of_works_by_the_federal_government_of_the_United_States) from the [Air Force Historical Research Agency](https://www.afhra.af.mil/)

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Biography_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Biography_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Biography_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Biography_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-Biography_1-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-Biography_1-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-Biography_1-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-Biography_1-7) [***i***](#cite_ref-Biography_1-8) [***j***](#cite_ref-Biography_1-9) ["GENERAL ROBERT H. REED"](http://www.af.mil/information/bios/bio.asp?bioID=6864). [United States Air Force](/source/United_States_Air_Force). Retrieved 29 December 2010.{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_deprecated_archival_service))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Marquis Who's Who on the Web

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Factsheet_3-0)** ["354 Fighter Wing (PACAF)"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110507070809/http://www.afhra.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=9965). [United States Air Force](/source/United_States_Air_Force). Archived from [the original](http://www.afhra.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=9965) on 7 May 2011. Retrieved 30 December 2010.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-death_4-0)** Tomasic, Megan (December 28, 2017). ["Gen. Robert H. Reed, former SHAPE chief of staff, dies at 88"](https://web.archive.org/web/20171229231736/https://www.stripes.com/gen-robert-h-reed-former-shape-chief-of-staff-dies-at-88-1.504433). Stars and Stripes. Archived from [the original](https://www.stripes.com/gen-robert-h-reed-former-shape-chief-of-staff-dies-at-88-1.504433) on 29 December 2017. Retrieved 29 December 2017.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Robert H. Reed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_H._Reed) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_H._Reed?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.